Hotels, guest houses, resorts and yurts: what is the difference

Meiman lists eight types of accommodation, and the choice affects more than the price: some have a reception desk and breakfast, at others the host meets you in person, and in some you rent the whole house. Here is each of them, briefly.

Hotels

A reception desk, daily cleaning, usually breakfast and the option to arrive late. Best for business trips and short visits. All hotels, most often booked in Bishkek.

Daily apartments

Your own kitchen, a washing machine, a separate entrance. The most common format in cities: cheaper than a hotel at similar comfort, convenient for families and for several days. Apartments.

Guest houses

A few rooms in a private house, with the host living nearby and usually serving breakfast. Homely atmosphere, prices below hotels, no front desk — warn them in advance about a late arrival. Guest houses.

Cottages and houses

The whole house: several bedrooms, a kitchen, a yard, often a sauna and a barbecue. Taken by groups, for family celebrations and company retreats. Cottages.

Sanatoriums

A campus with several buildings, a private beach on Issyk-Kul and a meal plan from breakfast to three meals a day. The Soviet sanatorium format in a modern form, usually booked for a week. Sanatoriums.

Resorts and recreation areas

Cabins on shared grounds by the water or in the mountains, with barbecue areas and sometimes a pool. Work both for a weekend with friends and for a full holiday. Resorts.

Yurts

Yurt camps in the mountains and on the shore — at Son-Kul, in Naryn, on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. Felt walls and a stove inside, facilities usually shared. This is what foreign travellers come for. Yurt camps.

Hostels and apart-hotels

A hostel is a bed in a shared room, the cheapest option in cities. An apart-hotel sits between a hotel and an apartment: your own kitchen plus hotel service — apart-hotels.

What to keep in mind

Hotels and sanatoriums always ask for ID at check-in; private properties not always. Meals, towels and cleaning are included differently everywhere: check the listing and ask the host — the list of questions.

Not sure what to choose? Phone and WhatsApp: +996 550 993 993, calls: +996 503 993 993, email: partners@meiman.kg.